Where to stay in Samos
The airport is about 3.3 km by road from Pythagoreio and about 16 km from Samos town, and the west coast lies 30 km or more away. The Kusadasi ferries carry no cars, so a rental car stays on Samos.
Last checked
How the areas differ
Samos town, also known by its old name of Vathy, is the capital and port in the north-east, about 16 km by road from the airport. Pythagoreio sits on the south-east coast about 3.3 km from the runway; its ancient remains form a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the Heraion, and the booking platform Ferryhopper lists ferries to Kusadasi from its harbour as well as from Vathy.
Kokkari, about 11 km west of Samos town, stands on a small peninsula with a harbour on one side and a pebble beach on the other, and Lemonakia and Tsamadou beaches lie close by. Further west, Karlovasi is the town and port of the municipality of West Samos, about 32 km from the capital, and the Marathokampos coast, with the long beach at Kampos and the harbour at Ormos, is about 34 km from the airport.
Staying with a rental car
No official parking rules were found for Samos town, Pythagoreio harbour or Kokkari as of September 2026, so ask the host where to park before arrival. The municipality of East Samos is adding space: in May 2026 it tendered leases of plots of at least 300 m2 in or near the Pythagoreio town plan for car parks, for five years, and in September 2025 it tendered a lease of 600 to 1,000 m2 for a car park in Kokkari, where it had already worked on the car park on the main road in 2022. The outcome of both tenders was not found.
The car cannot go to Turkey. The booking platform Ferryhopper says cars cannot be taken on the Kusadasi ferries, and one Samos rental company forbids taking its cars on any ship to another destination; the same company voids its insurance for off-road driving and unpaved roads unless the car is a jeep. Meander Travel, one of the operators, lists 2026 sailings between Kusadasi and Vathy four days a week from 1 April and every day from 15 May to 1 November. For a day in Kusadasi, park in Pythagoreio or Samos town and cross on foot; Ferryhopper says to carry a passport or ID. Turkey is outside the Schengen area, so the trip means border checks out and back, and the EU Entry/Exit System registers non-EU travellers. GetCar's car rental page for Samos lists cars for the island.
Samos airport opened from 05:30 to 21:00 every day from 2 June to 14 August 2026 and opens from 06:00 to 21:00 from 15 August to 25 October 2026, and a bus links it with Samos town via Pythagoreio.
What the tourist tax and registration rules mean for a guest
Greece charges a climate crisis resilience fee per night for each room or property, and Samos has no rate of its own: one national table applies, set by Law 5162/2024 and now in article 44 of the Code of indirect taxes (Law 5177/2025), unchanged for 2026. From April to October a short-term rental pays EUR 8 a night, or EUR 15 for a detached house over 80 m2; rooms to let pay EUR 2 and hotels EUR 2 to 15 by stars. From November to March a short-term rental pays EUR 2, or EUR 4 for a detached house over 80 m2. The host charges it after the stay and before departure, on a separate receipt.
A municipal visitor fee on the rent, borne by the guest, comes on top. The national rate is 0.5%, and councils may raise it to 0.75%. West Samos, which covers Karlovasi and Marathokampos, set 0.50% for 2026 in all its municipal units by council decision 151/2025; for East Samos, which covers Samos town, Pythagoreio and Kokkari, no decision raising the rate was found as of September 2026. Private hosts with one or two properties do not charge it.
Every short-term rental must be in the AADE registry and show its 11-digit AMA on every platform and advert, and the host declares each stay; licensed properties show a 16-digit ΕΣΛ or a 7-digit ΜΑΓ number instead. Since 1 October 2025, Law 5170/2025 has required smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, a first aid kit and civil liability insurance, with a EUR 5,000 fine for a host who fails the rules.
When to book what
The climate fee drops on 1 November, from EUR 8 to EUR 2 a night for a short-term rental. The airport's published summer hours run to 25 October 2026; check the winter hours before booking an early or late flight after that date.
Which area for which trip
The port, the capital and a month outside summer: Samos town.
The shortest airport run and a day trip to Kusadasi: Pythagoreio.
Beaches on the north coast: Kokkari, with Lemonakia about 2 km away.
The west of the island and its port: Karlovasi.
A quiet beach base with a car: the Marathokampos coast.
Quub compares and books stays in each of these areas for the dates entered on the Samos page.
Questions
Is it better to stay in Samos town or Pythagoreio?
Pythagoreio for the airport, about 3.3 km away, and the Kusadasi ferries; Samos town, about 16 km from the airport, for the capital, its port and a longer stay.
Can a Samos rental car go on the ferry to Kusadasi?
No. The booking platform Ferryhopper says the Kusadasi ferries take no cars, and one Samos rental company forbids taking its cars on any ship. Park on Samos and cross on foot with a passport or ID.
Where can a rental car park in Pythagoreio or Kokkari?
No official parking rules were found as of September 2026, so ask the host. East Samos has tendered leases for new car park land in both places, in May 2026 and September 2025.
Is there a tourist tax in Samos?
Yes. The national climate resilience fee is charged per night for each room or property: EUR 8 for a short-term rental from April to October and EUR 2 from November to March, unchanged for 2026, plus a municipal visitor fee of 0.5% of the rent unless the host is a private individual with one or two properties.
How far is the west coast from the airport?
About 34 km by road to Kampos on the Marathokampos coast and about 35 km to Karlovasi.